ChrisFilter
Like a boss.
Well, the wheels made a difference. Fastest I've ever been is about 15.6mph over 60 miles with 4.5kft of climbing. Today did 64 with that total ascent and clocked in at 16.4mph.
The Cycling Chat Thread
- Thread starter ChrisFilter
- Start date
ChrisFilter
Like a boss.
Oh, and I did the medium pace in the end. Smashed it.
Dogsauce
I’ve got Skol but I’m not a Scholar
I went out with a club on Sunday social rides a couple of years ago, they have three groups, A rides (about a ton), B (about 60-70) and C (around 35). B rides suited me best (unless I was on the Pashley). Very friendly bunch but I didn't have a fucking clue what they were talking about at the cafe stop, I know fuck all about modern bikes and what all the bits are. I think they had me pegged as an oddball for using a twig to switch cogs on the front rather than fitting some gadget to my bike to do it.
Sigmund Fraud
893 all the way.
When is it cheaper to buy a new chainset than buy new rings? When you have a Campag Centaur Compact, thats when.
ChrisFilter
Like a boss.
Depends on the club, I guess. Where do you live?
My club's really informal and very welcoming. I'm one of the slowest and I've never had anything but encouragement from the fast crew nor have I been dropped or (more importantly for me) felt like a burden.
Sigmund Fraud
893 all the way.
I do remember though Mr Filter you were reassured for many years that CCs weren't as daunting as they looked. Every club has a certain reputation and I too remember my first foray into my CC which at the time I put off for several months. Once in its like duck to water stuff...unless you don't like the club in which case leave and join another one. Most clubs should offer a new to club / taster ride to try out. My first club runs were with London Pheonix - nice people but not the right home for me - so I moved on.
As a side note I'm getting a stronger and stronger urge to start my own club - but have no time to do that right now.
As a side note I'm getting a stronger and stronger urge to start my own club - but have no time to do that right now.
ChrisFilter
Like a boss.
Yeah, it's a fair point. I spent my twenties too hungover/drug-fucked/overweight to be able to justify going out with a club.
Now I'm as pure as the driven snow it's a better fit.
It is intimidating at first, but well worth it.
Now I'm as pure as the driven snow it's a better fit.
It is intimidating at first, but well worth it.
I'm in Edinburgh. Have had a look about and main options seem to be Edinburgh road club who seem quite serious and tri-geeky, and weekly rides from cafe ronde which is a cafe/bike shop which sells lots of rapha and assos and fancy bikes and the like.
I'm not very good at meeting new people which probably doesn't help.
a_chap
When the world came apart, where were you?
ChrisFilter
Like a boss.
You've probably seen this: http://www.cyclechat.net/threads/which-edinburgh-cycling-club.137842/
Sigmund Fraud
893 all the way.
When I was 13 and fuelled by Channel 4 TdF coverage and Robert Millar winning the KOM I phoned my local cycling clubs number (which helpfully was in the back of cycling weekly but not in the phone book(!)). I was nervous as fuck and blurted out that I wanted to join a cycling club. There was a pause at the end of the phone line before the club sec for San Fairey Ann CC asked 'do you ride tubs?. There was a pause before I answered, 'what are tubs?'. There was a snidey laugh at the other end. I put the phone down.
Cycling Clubs used to be intimidating places, much less so now.
Cycling Clubs used to be intimidating places, much less so now.
weepiper
I fix the machines that fight climate change
Otherwise known as 'Edinburgh Doctors and Lawyers Club' (desperately middle class)
I vaguely know the guys that own Ronde, it is a deliberately boutiquey sort of shop but they are quite sound themselves, don't know about the runs but can imagine they're not as stressy/training-based as ERC
There's also CTC who do various weekly rides about the Lothians.
Sigmund Fraud
893 all the way.
The CTC are great to ride with - 15mph ave, tea 'drum ups' in hedgerows aplenty and you learn all the lanes. If you're under 50 you'll be amongst the youngest there and possibly *the* youngest but its a gentle intro
DownwardDog
Riding a Brompton with a power meter.
My Belgian club was a bit like that. They never used to schedule any rides in July or August as bad weather could not be guaranteed. I learned a lot in my 8 years with them though - mostly how to suffer. I now realise that my solo rides in my pre-club days where I really thought I was pushing myself were laughable efforts. The club experience is worth it just learn what '100%' really means.
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Ted Striker
Foot's on the other hand
ChrisFilter
Like a boss.
Unless you can taste blood you can go a lot harder. That's my little rule of thumb.
I find the first thing that stops me on tough days is hamstring cramp.
Sigmund Fraud
893 all the way.
Hmm. As a 13yo going on my first club run that would likely demoralise me totally. When kids have joined our club runs we make a point of not going mental and punishing anybody who jumps off the front (by changing the route on the fly). What you're describing sounds like a chain gang. I've no doubt the Flandrians have bragging rights on who's hardest but cycling is about more than giving it full gas, even at elite level - as Saturdays Het Volk showed!
Orang Utan
Psychick Worrier Ov Geyoor
Cycling should be fun. Surely if it hurts, you are doing it wrong.
ChrisFilter
Like a boss.
As we've already established, OU, you're a very different cyclist then most of the weekend warriors on here.
I like pushing myself. It's a long-term health thing as well as a fun thing.
Feel the burn!
I like pushing myself. It's a long-term health thing as well as a fun thing.
Feel the burn!
Utopia
"Jackanackanory"
I've done it the last 2 years, you'll love it, as a Londoner & cyclist it was a dream come true, even last years in the torrential rain was utterly brilliant. Didn't get a place in this years......very tempted to just join the ride on the A12 on the day!
Orang Utan
Psychick Worrier Ov Geyoor
Burn is fine, but if I was drawing blood, I'd stop whatever it is that was causing it immediately.
Ted Striker
Foot's on the other hand
Surely we all cycle if different way, at different times, for different needs!
Don't want to taste blood when you cycle? Don't join TeamFilter! Don't lets Eeyore the shit out of everything because people have different reasons to cycle!
Don't want to taste blood when you cycle? Don't join TeamFilter! Don't lets Eeyore the shit out of everything because people have different reasons to cycle!
Orang Utan
Psychick Worrier Ov Geyoor
Blood though! Blood!
Utopia
"Jackanackanory"
Thats quite a dramatic improvement, nicely done......i'm debating getting decent wheels, what did you get?
Utopia
"Jackanackanory"
Ted Striker
Foot's on the other hand
Back to this - when I first used a set of SuperWheels (MadFibers, in this instance), it genuinely felt like cheating. Gone back to chinese carbon rims on bog standard Novatech hubs (I think) and a unrefreshed chain/cassette and it feels a lot more 'honest'!
Sigmund Fraud
893 all the way.
Not to pick at the "Cycling Caps: Crap/Not Crap" debate like an unhealed scar, but they do come in handy when you're passing under a railway bridge that hundreds of pigeons call home.
theres no debate - not crap.
Of course there isn't. I'm just trying to convince the wrong 'uns.
edit: actully, I think Orang Utan might be the only wrong 'un.
